miltownkid

Hey all, Looks like I'm forced to post here before posting anywhere else. So I've been a "Daoist" for quite a bit of time. For me that essentially means I have been somewhat "religiously" drawing insight from the DDJ and merging it with experience from life and taichi practice. It seems to have "taken me far" in the 20 some odd years of keeping it up. The most recent "daoist wall" I've run into (I've run into many) has turned me to Buddhism (something I never paid much attention to). I think something about the structure is alluring in compared to the practically structure-less practice I've engaged in for so long. I've been "aware" of the "comedy of reality" for a long while, but wasn't sure what to do with it, so opted to do nothing and get caught up in the currents. Seems as though a "white watery" section of life has come to a calm allowing me to once again reflect. During this past stage of life I was somewhat obsessed with the idea of creating a system for making and completing goals (funny work for a daoist but... is there any other kind?) My somewhat obsessive nature led to setting all kinds of goals and doing all kinds of crazy things... good times. I got an "epiphany" once getting into calmer waters. I had a flashback to a time when my life was in "external" turmoil, but I was "internally" serenely enjoying the "work" I was engaged in. Seeing that slice in time led me to REALLY understanding a quote I thought I already understood (like so many things I've thought I've understood in the past and will continue to think I understand going into the future): Life is the journey, not the destination. I already intuitively knew this to be true, but the illusion of life would get me sucked into chasing proverbial carrots and missing the roses. I started to see that the goal was to enjoy NOW (as much as now can be enjoyed) on the way to an "illusionary" goal which could never be attained (yes, in common communication things can be gotten, but they're INSTANTLY replaced with new goals once gone, the process is never ending). This created a shift in how I started approaching the goals I had and eventually led me back to a goal I abandoned long ago... "enlightenment." (Note: The reason I abandoned enlightenment was more practical as my understanding of it at the time, lets say, got me into trouble.) Seriously revisiting enlightenment after having spent so many years reflecting on the DJJ (and of course other supplementary works) has been quite refreshing. My mind has been well trained in the art of thinking in paradox, so much of what I would have been confused with in the past is kind of like "Yep." I'm kind of back where I started in that I'm looking for a "vehicle for enlightenment." I kind of fell into (Theravada) Buddhism and have been happy with the basic practices and reading thus far. I'm dabbling with the idea of "no-self" (actually, it makes clear sense to me) and want to exercise it further. In one of the books on Theravada Buddhism I picked up I ran into this line: "We only lose sight of unity, it never leaves us." It had a pretty profound effect on me (although with the words that proceeded it. ) "Seeing" this unity also seems to be where we see that we aren't... All this being said, I don't think I'm looking for any particular insights or answers right now. I do have a question though. What do you think is good work for cultivating "the state"? I try to avoid using words like good and bad, but there certainly seems to be "skillful" and "not-skillful" work for working on this stuff, especially at the beginning stages. I feel like the work should fall into one of two categories: 1. Effortless (at least that's how it feels) 2. Simple (Requires no thoughts, just doing, like sweeping) This is all because I've been recently trying my hand as a freelance writer and have articles I should be working on. Came here and posted this instead. Perhaps freelancing writing is OK and I just need to listen to my nature about this particular job... lol Living and learning...

"Figured out" Daoist Immortality (like, I'm immortal now style). This book put the finishing touches on all the work I've done with Daoism, Taichi, Science, Math and Buddhism (plus a ton of other "random" things): http://www.amazon.com/No-Boundary-Eastern-Approaches-Personal/dp/1570627436 Here are two recent blog posts from my perspective (well at those "times"). http://caseyabbottpayne.blogspot.tw/ http://mentalhealthprotocol.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/the-ill-mind-of-miltown/ Thanks for all the help. I won't be coming back, but I'm easy to find if anyone ever wanted to. peace love one

I am what I am and that's all that I am. I think Popeye had it all sorted. I used to wish I wasn't so clever. Just seems to get me in trouble (like times in the past spent thinking about elaborate conspiracy theories because the mind liked them and thought it was clever). I've always looked at the "Dao" somewhat like I look at taichi. It's not really something you understand as much as you do. Doing it more leads to a deeper understanding, but you don't get that understanding from talking or thinking about it, you get it from practice. That said, I'm a lot more comfortable telling people how to do taichi than I am telling them how to "Dao" (unless it because the next dance craze).

Which "it"? Before you clarify, I'll go ahead and assume you mean "being a daoist sage"? I remember spending much time reflecting on cleverness. One must be careful with translations of the ddj and one must apply what one interprets to life and see the results what are produced for oneself. That said, the passages that allude toward something of an "unskillfulness" about being clever really seem to be pointing toward the intent behind the cleverness more than the cleverness itself. And this isn't about "good" clever vs. "bad" clever. I'd look at it more like "natural" clever (which attempts, without attempting, to follow the way) vs clever intent on doing something (instead of being intent on doing nothing. ) If you look to nature you'll see all kinds of clever. I think that natural cleverness from nature isn't the clever which was being discussed in the ddj (when referred to in a more "negative" light). I think the same can be said of the natural cleverness of the human mind being used in a "skillful" manner (a manner aspiring to sagacity). This can be a slippery slope as the mind is pretty clever at getting one to think one is whatever one needs to be to start being clever again. Perhaps it's good to experience a period of time totally void of cleverness for training... I don't know. Here's Chapter 45 from Red Pine (I like his translation): The greatest thing seems incomplete yet it never wears out the fullest thing seems empty yet it never runs dry the straightest thing seems crooked the cleverest thing seems clumsy the richest thing seems poor activity overcomes cold stillness overcomes heat who can be perfectly still is able to govern the world Much of my interpretation of Daoism alludes to hiding skill and clanking like rocks. I went through a period of time when I thought the much of what the ddj was trying to convey could be totally put on it's head dependent on the state of the world. I also wouldn't mind taking a glance at the Chinese to work on my "own" interpretation from that (Red Pine's translation has Chinese with it, just don't have the physical copy with me at the moment). All I know is I've done a good job of cultivating that clumsy clever flavor. And I should be doing a good job of exuding it here as well. What's more clumsy to a daoist than someone who's visibly clever. lol

Thanks for all the feedback bros (girls aren't int Daoism right? lol) While I initially saw a bunch of the parallels between Daoism and Buddhism (any variety) I think my brain was working out of the "rough spots" in the background. Feels like all the snags have been processed and I'm looking forward to my new life as a Daoist-Buddhist. I've gotten pretty good about (daoist) not caring about things (and not caring if I care ). This Buddhist stuff seems to be giving me new angles to process (with or without my "daoist glasses" on). Now I'm back to my happy Daoist self of not caring about enlightenment while I'll walk Buddha's path to getting "(t)here" (precepts, 8 fold path, meditation, etc.) If asked why, I could counter "why not?" But instead I'll say I feel as though it's good training for "skillful living" (which is what I feel Daoism, at it's core, is pretty much all about). Thanks again for the tip-less tips.

I've kind of taken "not trying" to it's limit (for me for now) and throwing things in reverse, won't be surprised if I end up back there (I suppose I'm trying to not try, but to be "skillful" about it this time around). I just like taichi and martial arts, I was into that stuff before the enlightenment stuff. When I sit ("meditating") I'm usually contemplating the breath. I think when I stopped looking for enlightenment it was because of how hard I was looking for it. Now I'm seeing it as being something a lot more effortless than I previously thought (like it's available right here and now). That said, there still seems to be work that needs to be done to get me to see that there's no work that needs to be done. That's a solid tip! lol Thanks for the comment on being balanced. Practicality and responsibility are new additions to my "art of living." I think I used to use (my perceived) inherent "emptiness" of things as an excuse to kind of "do whatever" (within "reason"). Now I see that I was approaching "spiritual things" no different than the material things I've been so averse to. Was doing work to get something. Something recently changed making me want to be a "functioning member of society." It's probably just the realization that this is the reality of my situation... lol No point in daydreaming about being a hermit. I live in a city and have to do city things with city people. Is "turning the light around" a particular meditation technique, or just chilling in stillness? Thanks for your reply. I do know a qigong set and I should add it to my daily practice. Definitely couldn't hurt. Could you expand on the sleep part a bit more? Are you saying that I should be sure to "shut down" before sleeping as to take practice with me in my slumber (shut down is in quotes, I mean... try not to watch a slasher movie or something before bed. ) How do you utilize fasting? Thanks everybody!